Eternity bores me
by belovedmind
Summary: Iwasaki Sora tried to be nonchalant about most matters in life. She was unfazed by the increased tensions in Konoha, and she kept her head stuck in her books. However, remaining detached proved to be difficult when meeting leaf shinobi, Uzumaki Boruto.
1. A Request

"O God, I am not like you

In your vacuous black,

Stars stuck all over, bright stupid confetti.

Eternity bores me,

I never wanted it."

— Sylvia Plath, 'Years'.

* * *

Sixteen year old Iwasaki Sora loved heights. She loved the feeling of the air brushing against her fingertips, and she loved the rush of adrenaline when looking at the world below. Therefore, it wasn't a surprise that looking down at the entire Hidden Leaf Village from the Hokage's office, the brunette felt at peace.

Konohagakure, the hidden village of the Land of Fire, had evolved into an impressive urban capital, or so that is what Sora's father proudly boasts. Even though this "village" is Sora's home, being here has never felt so foreign. Since a young age, Sora had travelled across the Five Great Shinobi Countries, and had never remained in one place for long. This was due to the nature of her family's business. Her family owned the Iwasaki Construction Company, and its riches were built upon the reconstruction of the modern shinobi world following the Fourth Shinobi World War. To Sora, her family's construction business was all she knew, and she spent most of her youth in hotel rooms either being tutored or reading a book. That's why standing in the Seventh Hokage's office was odd, to say the very least.

"Thank you so much for hosting us, Hokage-sama." Sora's father, Iwasaki Tanaka, bowed, and the young brunette followed by example. Currently, Sora was the only member of her family with her father in Konohagakure, with her siblings and mother dealing with business in Kirigakure, the village of the Land of Water. This seperation was regular for Sora, and she often accompanied her father in his business trips, but it has been a long time since she has been in Konohagakure.

The Seventh Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto, stood from his seat, responding with a warm smile whilst shaking Tanaka's hand. "It's not a problem at all Iwasaki-san, welcome home."

Sora and her father were in the Hokage's office because of a request that her father was making. Sora saw this request as completely unnecessary, but her father had demanded her compliance and requested her also to meet the Hokage.

"Thank you again for your time, Hokage-sama. This is my daughter, Sora." With a nudge from her father, Sora let out a muffled greeting. "I have a request. Could one of our capable leaf shinobi please be her bodyguard." With that, Sora felt blood flush through her cheeks, and she clenched her fist as her father continued. "You see, we have our own body guards normally everywhere we go, however, our employees are currently visiting family."

"Of course, not a problem, I've actually got the perfect person for the job coming any minute now." The Hokage looked Sora in her hazel eyes, giving her a comforting smile. This put her at ease, yet she still felt embarrassed.

Little did Sora know, this was going to be the beginning of many different emotions.

* * *

Uzumaki Boruto detested his old man, and that was putting it lightly. At age fifteen, the blonde did not have a good relationship with his father, but regardless, he still had respect. The chunin had learned to seperate his father from his _Hokage_. This meant that when his Hokage gave him a boring C-grade job of being a bodyguard to some privileged teenage girl, the blonde simply gritted his teeth and accepted the job. He didn't like the fact that team mates and friends were all busy doing cooler jobs. Sarada was currently acting as an envoy to Sunagakure. Mitsuki was helping out Team Moegi on solving a heist mission up North. Even Team Udon was solving a case in the Land of Earth, meanwhile Boruto was stuck babysitting for an entire month.

Regardless, Boruto (distastefully) accepted the job, and that's why he was outside a presidential suite, of the luxurious Hōshi Ryokan inn in the inner outskirts of Konohagakure. Letting a sigh out, Boruto proceeded to knocking on the wooden door, preparing himself to deal with a bratty child. Instead of the door being opened, he heard a light, but firm, voice. "Doors unlocked, come in." _Tsk, no wonder she needs a bodyguard. She is practically inviting anyone to kidnap her._

But still, Boruto complied, opening the door and stepping inside the room, not bothering to remove his shoes. As he enters, her sees a medium-built girl around his age, laying on a king sized bed. Her wild brown hair was long and unkept, and her face was hidden behind a book. Moreover, she was dressed in a black tank top and a pair of simple pants, and nothing about her screamed sophistication. For a moment, Boruto thought he had entered the wrong room.

Clearing his throat, Boruto spoke. "Are you Ms. Iwasaki Sora?"

The brunette then raised her gaze whilst setting down the book. She then set up right, pulling her hair to one side. With a smile, she responded. "Depends on who's asking."

Rolling his ocean-coloured eyes, Boruto straightened himself. To say he was annoyed was putting it lightly. "Iwasaki-san, I am Uzumaki Boruto, shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village. I am going to be your bodyguard for the next month. If you need me, I will be outside. If you intend to leave the room, please let me know and I will escort you safely wherever you need to go." Boruto noticed how the brunette was watching him intently, really listening to every word he was saying. Then, without meaning to, his gaze started going lower, until to his peripheral vision came a clear view of cleavage. This caused the blonde to go red, quickly turning around, meanwhile Sora's head simply tilted to the left.

"I also suggest you change into something more modest." Boruto grumbled, as he proceeded to leave the room.

Boruto then heard her cheeky reply as he left. "That's not going to happen, nice meeting you Boruto-kun." The last part made the blonde annoyed, and unconsciously huff as her slammed the door, preparing himself for the most boring month he had yet to endure. _It's only one month. I'll be fine._

* * *

To say that Sora was ecstatic, was putting it lightly. Firstly, Sora wasn't expecting to be assigned a guard so quickly, and if anything, she thought that she was going to meet the guard under a more formal setting, at earliest, tomorrow. Combined with that, the young brunette was not expecting for the guard to be young, let alone around her age. And it didn't hurt that he was easy on the eyes.

Sora was in her room, reading a book called 'Nymphette', which was written by an author who was native to the Land of Earth. The book was about an older Sensei, who fell in love with a student of his team, and while Sora found the book disturbing, she was still enjoying it. She was so thoroughly engrossed in the book, that at first, she didn't realise that there was a teenage boy in her room. And to be fair, she hardly comes across any teenage boys, due to the overly-protective nature of her family. This made her even more excited, as she could potentially be making a friend now. And that's what Sora wants more than anything. Friends.

Lost in her thoughts, Sora didn't realise the sad smile that her formed on her face. She also didn't notice how much time had passed, and her stomach signalled that. Setting down her book, Sora walked to the window, looking out it. The sky was bleeding in burgundy and lilac hues, and the sun was comfortingly bright. _The sunsets here really are something, huh._

The brunette then turned around to the table behind her, spotting a fruit basket with ripe peaches which were looking juicy and plump. This made her mouth water, and with the blonde outside the room in mind, she grabbed two peaches, and left the room.

"Boruto-kun." Sora lightly yelled as she left the room. She spotted the blonde pacing on the other side of the corridor. He then silently walked towards her, jumping slightly as she tossed a peach at hime. Biting down on her own, Sora finished. "So do you have any good food places in town?"

* * *

 **Chapter notes**

hello! my name is sabina, and i hope you enjoy the opening chapter of a new fanfic that i am going to be working on. i grew up with naruto, and despite the popular concensus, whereby boruto is disliked, i personally still love it!

i primarily utilise archive of our own (ao3) to update my stories, but i am posting some stories in bulk here just to back up my work. if you do like this, please do leave some love and a review, i'd really appreciate it! if you want to be completely up-to-date with my work in general, you can check out my profile on ao3, i have the same username (belovedmind).

until next time,  
s.


	2. Ramen and Ice-Cream

Evenings at Ichiraku Ramen were bustling, and that was a dysphemism. The golden illuminated restaurant was vibrant, with the lively chatter of the families of the village giving life to the atmosphere. Uzumaki Boruto didn't hate the place, he just couldn't comprehend why one would go to eat ramen over burgers from Lighting Burger.

Yet, he was sitting in a two-person booth across from Iwasaki Sora, who was amidst devouring her fourth bowl of shoyu ramen. Glancing down at his bowl that he had finished, then back to the brunette, Boruto shuddered in disgust.

"I'm surprised that you aren't two-hundred pounds over weight. Many would say it's even abnormal for a young girl like yourself to eat more than two bowls." The shinobi cooly spoke, taking a sip of his iced water.

Setting down her large bowl, and ignoring Boruto, Sora yelled out. "Another bowl of shoyu ramen please!" Ayame, the owner of joint, replied loudly. "Coming right up!"

Turning back to Boruto, Sora noted how his azure-coloured eyes proceeded to roll. Breathing in, Sora responded, shrugging. "Well I'm no normal girl, and I'm hungry." Glancing at the bowls, she finished. "Plus, it tastes really good, and I do love some good ramen."

 _"What type of food do you like?" Boruto asked the young girl as they left the inn. If it were him, he would have gone to get burgers, or even try something new. But it wasn't his choice, and he was doing a job._

 _At his words, Sora's eyes glistened. It had been a long time since the brunette had eating delicious and richly caloric food, the only type of food that should be classified as real food, in her opinion._

 _Sora's response made Boruto shudder, and wish that he just took her to Lightining Burger without saying a word. With a smile, Sora spoke with a watered mouth._

 _"Ramen"._

Yet another steaming bowl of noodle-goodness was rapidly placed in front of Sora, who immediently pounced at it with a healthy appetite. Boruto couldn't help but grimace at the sight, feeling stuffed already.

Sora, completely unaware of Boruto's disgust, quickly finished her food, then proceeding to take a large gulp of her diet cola. "I should probably stop here and avoid over-eating." At that, Boruto eyes completely widened. She's just like mom! Where exactly does all this food go to?

What Boruto didn't realise was that he was blatantly staring at Sora's cleavage, which was not on full display, but visible as she was still wearing her black strappy tank top. And it took Sora a moment to understand what the blonde was staring at, but when she did, her hazel eyes widened.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, you dirty perv!" Sora yelled whilst throwing her chopsticks at the shinobi. This proved to be ineffective as he caught them with ease, but he still went completely red, like a deer caught in headlights. It didn't help that, simultaneously, the entire restaurant went silent at the commotion, and everyone stared at the couple. Sora was physically huffing as she crossed her arms around her upper area, meanwhile Boruto was completely flustered.

And then, the entire restaurant started silent whispering, and Boruto knew why.

"Is that the Hokage's son?"

"Who's the girl he's with?"

"Wow, he grew up to become handsome."

"But didn't you hear, he's perv."

"What's he doing here?"

"Is he still a shinobi?"

"Not sure, but by his age, his father had done so much more."

Boruto remained silent, trying to ignore the voices. Stop feeling like that, you're a shinobi. _Their opinions don't matter, only your's._

The blonde was once again lost in his thoughts, and unconsciously clenching his fists. A pair of hazel eyes was carefully watching him, and though she didn't understand, she also wasn't deaf, and she could hear the silent chatter. Letting out a sigh, she took out a large bill from her pocket, setting it down on the table.

Sora then stood up, reaching her hand out to Boruto. "Hey Boruto-kun, let's go. I'm in the mood for some ice-cream" At that, Boruto's eyes snapped, and his face morphed back into its usual scowl.

"You must be joking." Following that, Boruto reached for the wallet in his pocket, getting ready to pay for his portion of dinner. And even though he's a well-trained shinobi, Sora's hand that quickly envoloped his wrist caught him off-guard.

Her soft voice also quickly spoke. "No need, I've got you covered." But Boruto quickly protested, in an attempt to protect his pride.

A waitress then ushered in, grabbing the large bill from the table. The brunette turned to the waitress. "Keep the change, consider it as a tip." At that, the helper's eyes widened, but she nodded. _Hm, is it abnormal to leave tips here?_

Turning back to Boruto, Sora reaffirmed "No need, Boruto-kun. This is one of your fringe-benefits as an temporary employee of the Iwasaki family."

It was a Saturday night, so it wasn't surprising to Sora that the urban village was so alive, especially at the town center where she and her bodyguard were walking in. The pair were walking towards a dessert cafe, one which Boruto believed still might be open.

The pair walked in silence, but Sora didn't consider the silence to be awkward. There just was no conversation, which was expected due to the nature of their relationship. But Sora couldn't help but note how close he was to her, and she liked to think that it wasn't because of how congested the area is.

The couple then paused infront of a pink-themed cafe, and Sora couldn't help but find it adorable. Whilst admiring the establishment, Sora failed to register how Boruto physically paled.

Why did Boruto begin to profusely sweat? Well, that was because seated inside the cafe was seated three fellow shinobi who were enjoying large ice-cream sundaes: Nara Shikadai, Yamanaka Inojin and Akimichi Chõchõ. It wasn't difficult to deduce which member Boruto tried to avoid.

Unfortunately, Boruto was not as lucky as he hoped, because his client briskly entered the cafe, beginning to order. Glancing between the trio (who still didn't realise Boruto's presence) and Sora, Boruto considered hiding until the trio left, or perhaps just ditching Sora altogether. I mean, I'm sure she knows the way back to the inn. And it's after hours, I'm sure child labour laws still apply to me.

However, Boruto's luck really was unfortunate, because whilst contemplating his options, Sora quickly ruined them by wailing out. Very loudly, Boruto noted.

"Boruto-kun, which flavour do you want."

At that, the very shinobi that Boruto tried to avoid, realised his existence. To the blonde, everything occurred in slow motion, and that was not an exaggeration.

First, Inojin's blonde head turned in confusion, initially glancing towards Sora, before turning to Boruto, who was stood at the enterance. Simultaneously, Shikadai faced Boruto, but his emotions were not visible, as usual. And Chõchõ's reaction was, by far, the most 'vibrant'.

"Boruto!" Her voice echoed loudly throughout the room, and she practically jumped out of her seat, positioning herself between Boruto and Sora. For a moment, she shamelessly stared at the brunette, analysing her appearance. She then turned back to Boruto, positioning herself closer to him.

"Boruto, you did well." Chõchõ declared, giving him a thumbs up. At this, Boruto went red from embarrassment, but Sora found this endearing.

The brunette took hold of two cones of ice-cream, and approached the pair. "What did you do well at, Boruto-kun?" Sora naively asked, as she passed a cone of chocolate ice-cream to Boruto.

Boruto stuttered, whilst Chõchõ tried to suppress her laughter. "Anyways, you didn't tell me which flavour you wanted and I was on the spot. But if you'd like, we can switch. Mine's vanilla."

Borutõ stood as if he was shell-shocked, not moving even as his ice-cream began to melt. An odd silence enveloped the trio. Sora stood there confused, while Chõchõ was, uncharacteristically, lost in her thoughts.

On the outside, Inojin and Shikadai watched them. "Should we do something?" Inojin asked Shikadai.

Taking a lick of his coffee-flavoured ice-cream, Shikadai responded. "Nah, that'd be a drag." Unfortunately for the brunette shinobi, his wishes were disregarded.

"Hey Boruto, introduce us to the new babe in town!" Inojin noisily yelled.

Sora went completely red. Boruto choked on his ice-cream. Chõchõ yelled back.

"Ahh, the babe and the bad boy, how romantic!" She then grabbed the pair by their arms pulling them to the round table where she was formerly seated at.

"Yeah Boruto-kun. Please do introduce us." Inojin and Chõchõ's smile was unrealistically wide, meanwhile Shikadai practically buried his face in his hands.

"Aren't you guys supposed to be on a mission right now." Boruto huffed out.

Chõchõ then proudly replied as she finished her ice-cream. "Nope, we came back this afternoon."

Sora initially felt overwhelmed by the amount of people, but by this point felt okay, comfortable even. This entire situation felt like her own home, the bickering reminiscent to that of her own siblings. It was due to this, that the brunette elbowed Boruto as he sat in his seat flabbergasted.

Glancing at Sora, Boruto saw a bright look in her hazel eyes. _Maybe it won't be so bad_.

Clearing his throat, Boruto spoke. "Right um, this is Iwasaki Sora, she is the daughter of the owner of the Iwasaki Construction Company." Looking at Sora again, the blonde noted the warmth that radiated from her smile.

"Oh wow, you're like a noble, or an heiress. Well, I'm Akimichi Chõchõ. Gorgeous resident of Konoha by day, ninja goddess at all times." The auburn-haired kunoichi proudly boasted, putting an arm around Sora, and pulling the girl into an odd, half-hug.

Chuckling, Sora smiled warmly and modestly responded. "Nice to meet you Chõchõ." The brunette paused for a moment, glancing at the others. "Oh no, I'm not a noble. Far from it actually."

Boruto murdered then murmured. "You can say that again." At that, he received a punch to his side.

"And what's that supposed to mean." Sora grumbled as she tended to her first. If anything, the punch hurt her more than the blonde. _Lord, what is he made of, steel?_

Boruto touched his side for a moment, chuckling at the lack of pain. "Well, you don't act or dress like a noble. If anything, I could find a street rat with more class than you." At that, the pair began bickering back and forth.

"Well you're not that impressive either, you reek of nepotism."

"No I don't. Wait, what does nepo-ism mean."

"You're not very intelligent either, clearly."

"Well I'm sorry if daddy doesn't hire me all the fanciest tutors."

"What are you talking about, your father is the Hokage. He could hire anyone you'd like."

"Well, um-"

The trio at the table found Boruto and Sora's interaction hilarious, and howling out in laughter, with the exception of Shikadai, who sat there with a smile. Inojin then paused, introducing himself to Sora. "Nice to meet you, Iwasaki-san. I'm Yamanaki Inojin, and the sour puss next to me is Nara Shikadai."

"Please, call me Sora." The brunette replied, as she finished her ice-cream. She then turned to Shikadai.

"I've got a question. Has Boruto always had a stick up his ass?" Sora asked. Shikadai stared at her for a moment, before beginning to laugh for the first time in the evening. This caused everyone, except Sora, to stare in shock.

Shikadai once calming himself, responded to Sora. "I like you Iwasaki Sora. So where are you from?"

Sora smiled again. "I'm from this village actually. I just move around a lot because of the family business."

"Makes sense." As Shikadai spoke, Boruto glanced at his wrist, despite not wearing a watch.

He then began to stand. "Ah, well look at the time. This has been definitely lots of fun, but sadly the princess and I have dash. Curfew reasons."

"- but I don't have a curfew." Sora attempted to reason, but it was too late, because as she finished her sentence, Boruto pulled the brunette out of her chair, and they were at the door.

Glancing at Boruto's blue eyes, Sora noted an almost pleading look in them. She sighed, before pulling on her arm, where Boruto held her wrist. This paused the pair, and Sora turned around.

"It was really nice meeting you Chõchõ, Shikadai and Inojin. We should meet up again when you guys are free." The trio yelled out goodbyes as well.

"Don't go running off to another village!" Chõchõ yelled out as Sora and Boruto left the ice-cream store.

The pair walked in silence as they left the parler, and Boruto's hand remained around Sora's wrist. As they walked through the urban village, Sora admired the shining neon lights, which lit up the village, further giving it life.

The air was breezy, pleasant, but by this point, Sora felt cold. That was why, when Boruto felt the brunette shivering, he sighed, whilst stripping off his black jacket, setting it down on the brunette's bare shoulders.

Sora paused, looking at his face, which was illuminated with the pale moonlight. "You're sweet when you want to be, Boruto-kun."

"If you dressed more modestly, then I wouldn't have to be." Boruto grumbled, as he started to walk again. Sora watched him from behind, smiling, before calling out.

"Well then, it's a good thing I don't believe in modesty then."

* * *

 **Chapter notes**

hello again! ahh, i'm in the mood for some ramen now. also, i realise how much fluff this chapter has, but do not stress, because i intend to shake things up in the next chapter for sora and boruto.

also, i literally typed this chapter up on my phone because i'm traveling with my family currently (i kid you not, i types some of this while waiting in line for coffee), so show some love and review please!

until next time,

s.


	3. Gone

"Aren't you planning to ever go home?"

Sora's soft voice through out a lounge at the inn. The brunette then proceeded to glance from her book to a blonde teenage boy, who was currently standing near the entrance of the empty room. Two weeks had passed since initially crossing paths with Boruto, and in the Sora had realised that in all that time, Boruto had not left her side for a moment.

Boruto, who had been attentively watching her read the entire time, casually responded. "I'll go home once my mission is over." This caused Sora to roll her eyes. _Yet another stoic hero at my disposable._

The past two weeks were mundane, to say the least. The days consisted of Sora watching Boruto train in the outskirts of the village in the mornings, Boruto watching Sora read her books during the afternoons, and the pair eating out in the village during the evenings. Their conversations were present, but nothing personal. Nevertheless, Sora was grateful to have Boruto's presence. _It's nicer than being stuck with your own thoughts._

Boruto was still leaning against the pale wall, with his arms crossed, watching Sora. She didn't know for how long he was doing this, but it was a long time. The brunette let out a sigh, before standing up.

"I'm going on a walk."

* * *

The sun was beginning to set by the time the young girl and her bodyguard left the inn. Boruto was dressed in his usual shinobi uniform, meanwhile Sora was wearing a black romper-dress. The weather was pleasant, as it had been throughout her entire visit in Konohagakure, and she quite liked the village, from all that she had seen.

Boruto acted as her guide through out their daily excersions. While it was still light, they walked around the outskirts of the large village, where she often saw shinobi training. When it was dark, the pair began to transgress towards a food joint to have dinner. And the walks were often silent, with Sora simply following Boruto.

Sora and Boruto stopped walking after they reached the top of the mountain. Sora noted how Boruto was watching at the Hokage Rock, which seemed unreal to the brunette. It was beautiful. Sublime. The mountain was adorned with the faces of the past seven Hokage, and it was immaculately sculpted. Sora, like many people, had always wondered about the lifestyle of a shinobi, and especially in their day and age, the number of shinobi had steadily decreased.

"What is it like being a ninja?" Sora had broken the silence that had engulfed the pair. Boruto stopped for a moment, and looked out at the view. The pair were on high-rise land, and had the entire village as the view. A train passed by behind them at a rapid speed, and Boruto did not speak. For a moment, she began to worry about what she had said. _Crap, was my question too personal? Maybe I shouldn't have said anything._

The blonde than sat down on the ground, his leg dangling over the edge of the steep drop. His action served as a taciturn invite for Sora to follow, which is what she did, as she sat down on the ground, crossing her legs.

"It's hard, but no where as hard as it used to be." Boruto's voice meshed with the winds that inudated the atmosphere. Sora turned to face Boruto, who was still watching the village. It was golden hour, and Sora noted how much justice the lighting was serving him, voyeuristically speaking. The golden rays illuminated his golden hair, and his blue eyes stood out like nothing else.

The brunette let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, before turning to face the village. "I wouldn't think so." She paused, before continuing. "My mom and dad tell me stories all the time about how it was before the family business. Before the war."

What Sora didn't know was that as she was speaking, Boruto was watching her, and he could hear the compassion in her voice, which he found endearing.

"My parents, and their families, especially before they got married. They didn't have it good. My grandfather on my dad's side was a merchant in the village, and he got killed when the Akastuki attacked the village for the first time. My dad saw it happen right in front of his eyes, when a building exploded and fell on his father. He was only fourteen." Sora paused, and took a deep breath.

"My mom didn't have it better. Her entire village was ransacked when she was around sixteen, and everyone got slaughtered. When she came into this village, the place was filled with injured people. This was during the last war, and when my parents met, they were broken, powerless kids who didn't know what was going to happen."

Sora then turned to face Boruto, and a single tear streamed down her eyes. Boruto felt sad for Sora, he really did, but what she said after really shook him to the core.

"You know, I come across a lot of shinobi warriors, and all they do is complain. Complain that all they get are boring jobs, and how they wish they could travel back to the golden age of shinobi. But I pray to every single God out there, that such a day never comes." The brunette choked on a sob, before finishing. "We are the lucky ones, and everyone back then felt so much suffering. Suffering that still makes my grandmother scream in her sleep."

She then felt a light punch on her left arm, which to be fair, wasn't as light as Boruto believed it to be, but nonetheless, Sora knew the meaning behind it. Sora then let out a forced laughter as she rubbed her eyes, trying to cover up her crying. She also forced out a smile, which Boruto recognised all too well.

Boruto's confident voice rung out through the evening. "Being a shinobi isn't all that special. I mean, everyone expected me to go to the Academy and become a shinobi, since it's whats expected of my clans. Also, not everyone who goes to the Academy becomes a ninja, since there aren't many jobs for that now." Boruto noted how attentively Sora was listening.

The blonde then let out a sigh. "I guess, what I'm trying is that I'm happy being a ninja, but it's not something that is as important now as it had been before."

"I still think it's important." Sora smiled. Boruto could deny that he found that smile endearing, which is maybe why he began to lean towards the brunette.

The moment was precious, soft. It happened slowly, or so it seemed to Sora. She had he arms behind her, supporting her. The Hokage Rock served as the backdrop, and the blood-hued skies illuminated the scenery. Boruto's azure-toned eyes held Sora's hazel eyes, and a blonde strand lightly touched the brunette's cheek.

But unfortunately, good moments like these did not last. Sora learned that lesson when a loud explosion sounded out of nowhere, and the bright coloured flames signaled the location, which happened to be Iwasaki Company HQ building, where Sora's father had been holed up for the past two weeks.

The skyscraper was tall, and piqued over its surrounding building, and when Sora pulled back, seeing the building in flames, she abruptly bounced from where she was seated. The young girl almost fell over the ledge, and was saved thanks to Boruto's quick reflexes. He quickly caught her waist, pulling her back to solid grounding.

By now, Sora's heart rate was speeding, racing faster then she thought it was humanly possible. Boruto felt that as he held her by the waist, watching her.

He saw many things in the next few moments. He saw her hands push against his chest rabidly, trying to escape his clutches. He saw her eyes water and her mouth hand open, in a state of paralysed shock. He also saw the tears that began to stream, as she began rapidly punching Boruto's chest, repeatedly yelling, "let me go". But sadly, Boruto knew that he couldn't let her go.

It was his job to protect her, as her bodyguard, and now, as an acquaintance. This was why he couldn't let her go. Instead, Boruto released the young girl from his grasp. For a moment, Sora held an illusion, an illusion that she was going to save her father, that everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you, Boruto." But what Sora didn't anticipate in her emotional state, was that her father was not going to be saved. Not by her anyway. Instead, Boruto twisted the brunette's right elbow, pressing firmly on a pressure point. And before Sora could comprehend, she was passed out, with Boruto carrying her away.

* * *

When Sora opened her eyes, she was in a hazy state. Her vision was blurry, or maybe it was dark. _Yes, the room is dark._

As she sat up from the unfamiliar bed and rubbed her eyes, she grasped how foreign her surrounding was. She was in a small bedroom, and behind her was a window. Other than that, the brunette ascertained nothing in the room. It was cluttered, with a shelves filled to the brim with books and photo frames, and a desk with a chunky computer. The room was still dark, and the full moon's silver light sparingly illuminated the place.

Even though the room was completely unknown to her, she felt okay, comfortable. And when Sora recognised that feeling she had, she knew something was wrong. She then tried to recollect her last memory. A moment passed. Blank. Then another. Still blank.

She then stood up from the bed, unwrapping the grey fleece blanket that covered her. She then approached the shelf on the opposite side of the room, picking up a blue frame. There she saw a younger Boruto, smiling for once, as the Hokage carried him. One thought crossed Sora's mind. _Adorable._

Sora held the frame, watching. Boruto. The Hokage. A son and his father. His father.

And suddenly, Sora's eyes began to water, and she finally remembered what was blank in her mind. Her father. Her father. How could she forget that. Her father. The company headquarters. The explosion. Her father!

Without cognising, Sora started to seize up, sobbing. Her panic attack flared up, and she was now on her knees, unable to breathe. Sora then dropped the frame, a crack echoed the room. But the brunette was drowning in herself, and her hands around her throat, trying to breathe. B _reathe. Breathe. God damn, just breathe._

Subsequently, the door swung open, with an impertinent blonde shinobi rushing in. Behind him entered an older woman and a younger girl, but conclusively, they remained as spectators, positioning themselves no closer than to the door frame, not involving themselves with the scene.

Boruto glided to Sora, kneeling down to her as he placed a hand on her arched back. Worry laced his normally-indifferent eyes as he tried to calm the young girl. "Everything is okay. Sora, listen to me, you just need to take a deep breath. Count with me. One, two, three."

"One, two, three." These three syllables were repeated by Boruto, and not long after, Sora did count with Boruto.

To Sora, it seemed that the feeling of suffocation was never ending, but it did end. When it did end, Boruto had two arms wrapped around her, and Sora was left trembling where she sat. She then pulled herself off Boruto, looking him the eye. With a weak voice, she spoke. "Please tell me my dad is okay."

Boruto held her gaze in the darkness, watching her. But he said nothing.

"Please Boruto. Please tell me. Tell me anything." She bit lip as she crossed her arms over herself. "Please. Lie to me if you have to."

Again, Boruto said nothing. He stood up from the ground, picking up the grey blanket and setting it down her shoulder, as he lifted her up to her legs. "Come, let's go get you some tea."

* * *

 **Chapter notes**

hello again! i hope you enjoyed this angsty-ish chapter. the plot is finally thickening, and i'm so excited to really wreck some emotions. also, i think it's important to note that as i am writing this, boruto's story in his teenage years is still not told (however, i also haven't read the third volume, yikes) and therefore, i am making the suspense up, in true fanfic style, and moreover, it is not canon. regardless, i still really hope you enjoy, and be sure to follow and review this story, as it really motivates me to write!

until next time,  
s.


	4. Pain

The time was past eleven in the evening. A young brunette girl dressed in a white, modest baby doll dress shuffled through her deep-red rucksack in an empty, open-air corridor, which was lit up with blinking ceiling lights that gave the atmosphere an eerie mood. The winds that whistled through the night were the sounds audible. Once upon a time, perhaps, this setting would have scared the brunette, but after everything that had happened, the young girl found no terror behind this type of thing. The 'ghosts' and 'demons' that once hid in the shadows, now paled against the terror of reality, and how cruel the world can be.

The door was mechanically unlocked, and the young brunette entered the accommodation. It was modest, to put it nicely, and currently, it was all that the young girl could afford. Setting down her bag, the girl entered the small apartment, where the living space, bedroom and kitchen were combined. It was a far cry from the luxury that the brunette had become accustomed with, but she didn't mind.

However, what she did mind was a certain blonde intruder sitting on the small green sofa in the corner in the room, playing on some sort of video game console. Familiar sounds of beeping and button-clicking vibrated through the silent apartment, which was dimly lit. The young brunette found it funny how when she had initially arrived to Konoha, she was blindly infatuated by the blonde in question. By the son of the Hokage. By Boruto. Even funnier is that, since then, her infatuation has dissolved. Arguably though, it wasn't because of him, but rather it was because of what happened.

The young brunette stood at the little doorway of her apartment, blatantly staring at Boruto. She continued to stand there, in silence, until Boruto's voice echoed through the studio flat.

The young girl set down her rucksack and took of her shoes as she spoke. "You know, breaking and entering is considered illegal by the state."

"Mom made loads of dinner and told me to bring some for you as well, Sora."

She, Sora, found it annoying how the blonde didn't even look at her as he spoke, and her initial instinct was to decline the food and kick the young shinobi out of her flat, but then her stomach loudly grumbled.

"Guess it's a good thing that mom made extra dinner, because when I checked your fridge and you've got nothing." Boruto still didn't look up from his gaming console as he spoke, and in that moment, Sora, the young brunette, was sure that she was going to kill the young shinobi.

* * *

"Any updates on my family's case?" Sora asked as she ate her noodles.

The pair were opposite each other on the sofa, eating the food the Uzumaki Hinata had cooked, in apparent abundance. The coffee table, though not large, was completely filled with containers with food, ranging from sweet and spicy beef, to fried vegetable rice. There was enough food to feed Sora for days. Over the many months that Sora had lived here, Hinata-sama had really taken absolute care of Sora, often sending food via. Boruto. Personally, Sora could comprehend her generosity, as she had yet to even have a full conversation with the shinobi legend, but she had assumes that it comes from a place of pity, after all that had happened.

Boruto, popping a piece of grilled chicken in his mouth, spoke as he chewed. "I don't have any new information. Like I said last time, I'm not assigned on the case, so I don't get told anything related to it. And if I was, then I wouldn't be able to tell you anything."

At that, Sora sighed, feeling her heart sink.

Almost a year has past since the incident, the Iwasaki Incident (as it was proclaimed on the media). It was on the night that Sora's life had been completely flipped upside down, and her mental state completely shattered.

Initially when the fire broke out at the Iwasaki Construction Company HQ, Sora had been worried about the well-being of her father. Sora had assumed that it was an accidental fire, but after she had woken up from being knocked out by Boruto, she was informed of the gravity of the situation, and how wrong her assumption had been.

 _A steaming mug of ryukucha was placed in front of a shaken up Sora, who still had a grey, fleece blanket set on her shoulders. Her eyes were puffy and irritated from crying, hair in knots, and overall, she was a complete mess._

 _"Can you please tell me if my father is okay." Sora asked. It was unclear who she had asked. Boruto, Hinata and Hinami were also sat at the table, watching the young girl carefully. Sora was the only one with tea, and it still remained untouched. Instead, she waited for an answer to her question. Waited for Boruto's answer, who had then been her bodyguard. Waited for an answer from Hinata or Hinami, who she had never spoken to or met before this moment. Waited from an answer from God even, because that'd be better than sitting in this silence that was suffocating her emotionally._

 _The brunette kept her gaze focused on the mug, but her mind space less focused, and more chaotic. All she could think about was her father._ _Her father, is he okay? Is he safe? Please let him be safe. Oh God, does mother know, and what about brothers? I don't know what to do, what do I do? I don't know. _

_And Boruto, he also didn't know. Didn't know whether to tell the distraught girl everything that had occurred within the one day that she passed out._

 _Uzumaki Hinata, painfully aware of the situation, gave her son an encouraging hand squeeze, mentally nudging him to tell the young girl the truth._

 _Sighing, Boruto answered Sora. "The fire, it was intentional. It was a power coup." Boruto paused as he saw Sora's eyes water again. Letting out a shaky breath, he continued. "The coup wasn't only here. It also happened with the rest of your family in Kirigakure. We can't find your family. Your father, your mother and your siblings."_

 _"How is that possible?"_

Sora couldn't comprehend how it all happened. How it was possible. The coup, her family missing. What had happened, and why were they missing? No ransom demand came, and it was like her family and their closest business partners were just erased from the face of existence.

These questions had plagued her mind every single day since it happened. It plagued her mind within the first two weeks, when she had to move out of the Inn because it had proven to be too expensive to live there and pay the ANBU find her family. It plagued her mind within the first two months, when she was placed in protective custody, curtesy of the Hokage. It plagued her mind when she started working at a local flower shop in the third month, due to her drying bank account. It plagued her her mind in the fifth month, when it was the birthdays of her younger twin brothers Hiroshi and Itsuki. And it plagued her mind in the eighth month, when the main advisor of the Seventh Hokage, Nara Shikamaru, had informed her that there were no leads in the investigation.

 _"Sora. Months have past, with nothing being found. Paying the ANBU for this is really expensive, with no result. I strongly suggest you call-off your request. It is still a case recognised by Konoha, so it will still be pursued."_

By the tenth month, Sora's bank accout was bled dry, and she was failing to make end's meet. So she called off the investigation, and now she has no clue what she is doing.

The Iwasaki Construction Company had fallen apart since the incident. With all the shareholder's dissapearing, and Sora being still legally underage to even access any documents or reports about her own family's company, Sora had met a dead end, as the company had. The business fell apart so rapidly, that no one foresaw this coming, and Sora, so occupied with trying to find her family, couldn't even care less. She didn't care enough when the family business was fragile, and she didn't help it before it got destroyed, and she couldn't help but feel ashamed. Hence, it was not surprising that she was stuffing her face with fried noodles.

Once again, Sora got lost in her thoughts without realising. She tended to do this frequently, and Boruto knew this. But he couldn't help himself from getting a sense of worry. He watched her with a cautious gaze, worried for her. Despite his nonchalance to most matters in life, he couldn't help but care. Care for the young brunette girl sitting opposite him.

Initially, he found the girl annoying. And his job as her bodyguard seemed more of a tedious matter than a duty he had to uphold as a shinobi. However, ever since her life had come crashing down, he couldn't avoid taking on the role of her bodyguard, even after his duty was officially completed and he got financially compensated. He assumed that he was looking out for her because she had no one else looking out for her. This was probably why when he saw her get lost in that messy mind of her's, he spoke before thinking.

"Sarada mentioned something during lunch a couple of days ago."

Uchiha Sarada is a high-ranking ANBU shinobi, and though Sora had only met her a handful of times during her time in the Hidden Leaf Village, she quite liked the girl. She believed her resilance and straight-forward personality to be admirable, and when she visited the flower shop, Yamanaka Flowers Sora really liked her company. And her flower choice as well (tulips, for her mother according to the ANBU).

"She didn't mention any details, but a squad under her supervision is being sent on an investigation to Shimogakure in the Land of Frost. I don't know if it has anything to do with the incident-"

"Tell me everything." Sora interrupted, placing down her noodles. Boruto saw her eyes glisten with the faintest of hope, and he assumed that was what compelled him to continue. To perhaps give her more hope.

"We don't have the best of relationships with the village, and despite all of the industrialisation that has been happening across the land and many nations, they continue to remain quite secluded. It's very likely that my opinion is not actually legit, but-"

Again, Sora interrupted. "My family has literally dropped of the face of the earth. Where else could they have vanished if not to a village that is quite literally non-existent to most."

The young brunette quickly stood up, and approached the closet in the corner of the room. She opened the door, and started shuffling through the things inside it. Boruto, slowly chewing on some rice, watched her, swallowing before speaking up.

"And what exactly are you doing?"

"Going to Shimogakure, obviously."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, the blonde spoke again. "You're not actually serious."

Boruto's comment was ignored by Sora, who continued to shuffle around, stuffing clothing inside her brick-coloured rucksack, whilst lowly muttering to herself. "Land of Frost... warm clothes. I'm going to need a coat. Where the heck am I going to find a coat. Would a regular clothing store sell that type of stuff? It doesn't snow here, so why would they? I guess I could just get something on the way, and it would make my bag lighter-"

Suddenly, Sora felt her wrist being lightly, yet firmly, grabbed. She was gently turned around, face to face with Boruto, who towered over her. This unexpected interaction resulted in Sora halting her breath, and she felt her heartbeat speed up.

"You know you can't go." The blonde's voice croaked in the quiet apartment. His watchful gaze looked down at the brunette, staring down at her hazel eyes.

Sora bit her right cheek as she responded. "Boruto. You don't decide what I can or cannot do. I'm my own person, and I'm going." She felt her eyes water, but she blinked back her tears as she continued, her voice cracking. "I miss them. I miss my mama and papa. I miss my brothers." One tear slipped down her cheek as she finished. "They're my family. And I miss them. I miss them so much."

Boruto sustained his stare and his grip on her wrist. He felt sad for her, he really did. But he also knew that no matter how much melancholia he feels for her, he needs to do right by her, and that includes telling her the harsh truth, even if it's the last thing she desires to hear. So instead, he pulls her in for a hug, resting his chin lightly on her head.

"I know you do. But you can't go. We still don't know if they're there, and there's no guarantee that you'd come back. The people of the village have always been historically hostile, and their hospitality there very likely won't compare to here. And you can't forget that you are still a target."

The blonde felt his black shirt become saturated with the brunette's tears, and again, he felt so much for her. However, his empathy for her did not override his duty to look after her, both as a shinobi who has been instructed to do so by the Hokage, and as her friend.

But it came quite close to being diminished when he heard her small voice whimper.

"What do I need to do to get them back?"

* * *

 **Chapter notes**

hi friends! i'm back yet again, and with an update! funny enough, i've been writing this chapter for two days now. i actually have written a lot more than this, but i decided to split the chapter into two, because it was really long (arguably, too long), but alas, do not fret, because i will most probably do a double posting to compensate for my extended absence.

on another note, i also just had pizza, which was so good! and overall, summer has been pretty chill for me. i definitely want to write more since i now have free time, so to encourage the creative juices, please show some love and leave a review!

until next time,  
s.


	5. My Treat

It was a sunny afternoon Konohagakure. The birds were chirping, the bees were pollenating, meanwhile the heat continued to swindle, and the entire populace was absolutely buzzing. And to Sora, a population that is happy usually equates to a population who wants to spend their money on flowers. Therefore, it wasn't surprising to the brunette that Yamanaka Flowers was busy. And unfortunately for Sora, today was also a day-off for her bosses, Ino-sama and Sai-sama.

 _"Don't worry about the shop, it'll be fine." Sora practically pushed her superiors out of the door of the flower shop, trying to convince them. "I'll be fine, the shop will be fine. Please go out, get some ice-cream. Today is such a lovely day, and you two have been couped up inside this store forever!"_

 _Yamanaka Ino, a former kunoichi, stood for a moment, mentally contemplating the offer as she held her husband, Yamanaka Sai's arm. "Darling, it has been a while since you've taken me out of the date." Giving a brilliant smile to Sora, she commanded. "We're going out for ice-cream. I trust Sora to take care of the shop."_

Half-heartedly, Sora regretted her offer when an influx of customers breezed into the store. Juggling through the many flowers in the heat, whilst she made the bouquets and interacted with customers who weren't always the kindest, Sora felt as though she was about to have a mental breakdown, countless of times. That was why once the afternoon was over, Sora eagerly welcomed a break from her shift. _Hm, I wouldn't mind some really great cheesy fries right about now. Iced cola as well._

As Sora cleaned the counter, she heard the bell at the door ring, signaling a customer. Letting out a slightly agitated breath, Sora called out from the back of the shop. "Sorry, we're closed for the day. You can come back tomorrow morning."

"We're not here for flowers, Sora-san." Sora heard a familiar confident voice, and instinctively, she jumped over the counter, to go to the front of the shop. Standing at the enterance was Boruto and Mitsuki, the latter who'm Sora was very eager to see. A couple of days had passed since the late night episode with Boruto, and in all honesty, Sora was trying to forget the entire ordeal.

"Mitsuki! It's been too long, where have you been!" Sora passed Boruto who stood next to tousled haired Jonin, practically sprinting as she pulled that very Jonin into a tight hug.

Sora and Mitsuki had become immediate friends when they first met each other at a festival celebration that the Leaf Village had about ten months ago. At the time, Sora was in absolute shambles, and not in any mood to celebrate. However, when her acquaintance, Chōchō, heard about the young girl avoiding the festival, she dragged the brunette out of her room, dressing her in a gorgeous azure-coloured kimono. Sora felt absolutely out of place as she was surrounded with many of Chōchō and Boruto's friends, but when she got introduced to Mitsuki, the pair got along very well. According to the ginger kunoichi, Mitsuki is socially awkward, but to Sora, nothing about Mitsuki was awkward. He was confident, didn't waste his breath on unnecessary words, and the pair shared a mutual affection towards Literature. Sadly for Sora, Mitsuki was often out of town on missions, and that meant that she didn't meet with him nearly as much as she hoped to.

In the meantime, Boruto stood next to the pair of friends, watching them. Crossing his arms, Boruto grumbled. "I mean, I exist as well. But yeah sure, greet Mitsuki, I mean he is very cool."

Chuckling whilst pulling away from Sora, Mitsuki spoke. "You've got nothing nothing to worry about Boruto."

Simultaneously, the blonde and the brunette spoke. "I'm not worried."

"Why would he worry?" Sora asked, raising an eyebrow. After all, they all were friends.

Mitsuki, rolling his eyes, asserted. "So, Sora-san. Since you're done for the day, how about we get an late lunch. It'll be my treat."

* * *

The trio were sat in a booth at Lighting Burger, a restaurant practically sacred to the youth of Konohagakure. The place, despite brimming with chatter, was fairly unoccupied. To Sora, this was unusual, due to the fact that whenever she had eaten here in the past, it was beyond busy with customers. One thing she knew for sure is that she would never want to work here, especially during rush hour.

"So where were you last, Mitsuki-kun?" Sora asked, as she took a sip of her cola. The chilled sugary drink practically glided down her throat, and she relished the relief that the cold drink gave her on this particularly warm day.

Mitsuki, facing Sora, responded. "I've been given a break from my duties from the Seventh Hokage. So I decided to visit my parent in Otogakure, since it's been for so long."

"What are your plans now?" Sora asked the two boys. Boruto, who was eating a hamburger, responded after chewing.

"We were given a mission abroad about a month ago, so it'd make sense that we'd be sent of again. However-" Mitsuki then finished for Boruto.

"there aren't many big missions going around currently, so we will probably be stationed off in the village until they need us. Additionally, Sarada is busy with her ANBU duties, so it's unlikely they'll send us on any important missions until she's less occupied."

Popping a french fry in her mouth, Sora replied, smiling. "That's not necessarily a bad thing, for one thing, we can spend more time together."

Sora then saw Boruto look at Mitsuki, in an almost gravely manner. She watched as the pair look at each other for a moment, and the overall mood of the atmosphere faltered.

"Hey guys, is everything alright?"

Sora then saw Mitsuki nudge Boruto's shoulder. The blonde then sighed, as he spoke. "Of course, we wanted to have lunch with you, I like, I mean we like spending time with you." Sora then gave a half puzzled, half irascible look. Mitsuki then lightly elbowed Boruto, after speaking up. "What Boruto is trying to say is that we have something important to tell you."

Sora then raised her eyebrows at the pair, taking another sip of her cola, unspokenly pushing the pair to finish what they were trying to say.

"The Seventh had instructed us to train you while we are in the village." Boruto reluctantly let out.

Sora, now completely puzzled, responded. "Why would your father do that?"

Mitsuki gave his blonde friend a pointed look, encouraging him to answer. Sighing, Boruto did so. "They're finding more circumstancial information about your family's cold case, and with the low supply of shinobi, I guess the Seventh and his advisors believe that it'd be promising to train you to at the very least, be able to protect yourself."

"Protect myself? Promising, circumstantial? Boruto, do you even understand what you're saying, because I sure as hell don't. You just said that there aren't any missions happening, so why would Konohagakure have a 'low supply of shinobi'? This quite literally makes zero sense." Sora rapidly ranted as she slammed down her cup. Mentally, she thanked the heavens that the restaurant was so busy with chatter that no one payed any notice to their conversation.

Boruto quickly pointed out, getting partially frightened at the brunette's frantic state. "I wasn't the one who said that the village had no important missions."

Sora then crossed her arms, looking at Mitsuki, who gave a sheepish face. "Well, I might have given false information-"

The young brunette then ubruptly stood, pushing back her chair and getting ready to leave, before Boruto quickly caught her arm, and averred.

"I don't understand why you're so mad, Sora. Isn't this a good thing? They've leads on the investigation!"

"Of course it's a good thing!" Sora lamented, feeling her eyes water yet again. Lord, she really needed to get a hold on her emotions, but she couldn't help it. Her feelings were all over the place, and she doubted that she could change that.

The two boys who sat opposite her watched her with wide eyes, at a loss. _Boys, they really don't know how to calm us girls down._

Breathing in, to calm herself down, Sora broke the silence. "Why don't you understand. I trust you guys so much, and you always keep stuff away from me. You never tell me the full truth, especially when it comes to things that directly relate to **me**."

Aback, guilt washed over Boruto, but he had to remind himself. He was not allowed to disclose all aspects of situation to her, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Please understand Sora-san, we tell you everything we can, and even then, you know more than you should." Mitsuki spoke, with sadness in his eyes. "This entire situation is dangerous, and the less you know, the safer you are."

"But I don't need to be safe if I am ignorant." Sora reinstated firmly, mustering up a facade of courage. She did feel scared for herself sometimes, but ultimately, she did not care. The only matter she cared about was missing.

"Ignorance is bliss." Boruto said, forcing himself into his cool demeanor. _I need to take care of her. Even if she doesn't want to._

Sora then retorted angrily. "It'll be blissful only until I'm in trouble and don't know anything."

"And that's why we're doing everything we can so that it doesn't happen." Boruto replied with as much anger. The two were fuming with tension, and the atmosphere had gone rigid consequently.

Mitsuki, sensing the strain, quickly vocalised. "Come on Boruto and Sora-san. We're all friends here." He then placed his hand on top of Sora's, before finishing. "We all just want what's best for you. Please follow the Seventh Hokage's order and let us train you. You've got nothing to lose"

Sora, feeling guilty, gave in. "Fine, I'll do it." She paused for a moment, and attempted to lighten the mood, realising how sulky Boruto had become. "However, fair warning. I can hardly sprint for two minutes without feeling like I need a lung transplant."

Boruto, recognising Sora's silent apology, lifted his head, and mustered up a grin, responding to Sora's banter.

"By the time we've trained you, you'll be able to run to Sunagakure and back without breaking a sweat."

* * *

 **Chapter notes**

hello again, friends! i did promise a double update, and here i am, delivering. i'm still not sure if i should have done one extremely long chapter or two shorter ones, but regardless, i still hope you enjoyed this chapter, and sora and mitsuki's relationship. it was loads of fun writing about their friendship, and i can't wait to write about sora's interaction with other characters.

this is about it for now, i'm going to be walking to my local starbucks and getting an iced tea because it is so fricking warm (darn you global warming, and darn you capitalism). as always, i'd really appreciate it if you could show some love and leave a review. i love getting feedback and knowing your guys' opinions on the plot (because i really am going through a dark tunnel with the plot, considering we literally know nothing about boruto's teen years).

until next time,  
s.


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